Grateful Dead—Green Lake Theatre, Seattle, WA, August 21, 1969

w/the New Riders of the Purple Sage and Sanpaku

NO SHOW: UNGRATEFUL CLAMOR DIDN'T RAISE THE DEAD

The performance was originally scheduled for the previous night. The Seattle Times reported that “…from 6 to 7 p.m. the musicians assembled their amplification equipment on stage, sawed wood to place under the many huge speakers, fooled with the PA system, and tore down a sagging, ripped sheet that was intended as a backdrop. Someone was blowing bubbles. Another played a harmonica. At 7 p.m. a crowd member yelled, "Are ya gonna play or not?" The cry was taken up by the audience with a bit more avidity. Some cherry bombs exploded in the water. Finally, some rain fell—a few drops proved the highlight of the evening.” In true Grateful Dead fashion, the band took the night of August 20 on the road for a surprise appearance at a joint called El Roach on Ballard Ave. Unfortunately, no tapes of the impromptu show can be found.

And so, on the evening of August 21, 1969, the Dead, the NRPS, and Sanpaku each played a set in front of a moat in what proved to be the last gig at the Aqua Theatre. This is the first co-billing with the New Riders, featuring Garcia on pedal steel for anyone interested in that little snippet of Grateful Dead lore. Also of note is that the guest flutist who joins the band on a few numbers is none other than Sanpaku's Gary Larkey, and not the esteemed Charles Lloyd as was erroneously reported in other accounts.

The show opens with Casey Jones. It’s slow, swampy, and just messy enough to get your attention. The first taped version of Easy Wind is next on the docket; McKernan’s bravado is turned way up, and the band alternates between rolling blues grooves. A few more highlights from the early portion of the set include a flawless execution of Bonnie Dobson's Morning Dew, a fantastic High Time that both showcases Garcia's confident singing and the full-band harmonies, and an unusual New Minglewood Blues > China Cat Sunflower > Doin’ that Rag medley that features a fabulous transition jam peppered with Larkey’s flute/scatting embellishments.

After another Pigpen-sung number and a fine run through Sittin’ On Top of the World, we arrive at the finale of the extended Green Lake set. The last thirty minutes of the performance—an ultra-compact That’s It for the Other One > Dark Star > Cosmic Charlie—are really something. The Dark Star is the shortest of the era, clocking in at less than 7 minutes with both verses. Despite its brief, fleeting nature, it still packs a voltaic punch. The real news though is that the slow take on Cosmic Charlie is finally working, complete with assured vocals and tight playing.

Recorded by Owsley with a fine digital transfer from J. Cotsman, this set is a vital 1969 recording that shouldn’t be missed.

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